FW3A mod thread. Post yours!

ToyKeeper · 2019-05-26T18:54:43.000Z

thisnameisvalid:

Anyone know any methods for removing the AR coating on the lens?

What worked for me was to put a “Sunshine polishing cloth” on a flat surface, then rub the lens on it for ~20 minutes. This reduced lumens by about 3% to 4%, and improved the tint. Basically, doing this removes the plus-green filter built into the lens. It’s a very slight effect though, barely perceptible.

To protect the table, I put the polishing cloth on top of the plastic bag it came in.

Marc_E · 2019-05-26T19:28:20.000Z

ToyKeeper:

thisnameisvalid:

Anyone know any methods for removing the AR coating on the lens?

What worked for me was to put a “Sunshine polishing cloth” on a flat surface, then rub the lens on it for ~20 minutes. This reduced lumens by about 3% to 4%, and improved the tint. Basically, doing this removes the plus-green filter built into the lens. It’s a very slight effect though, barely perceptible.

To protect the table, I put the polishing cloth on top of the plastic bag it came in.

I’m more interested in how you polish sunshine. Any guidance?

xevious · 2019-05-26T20:05:58.000Z

Marc E:

ToyKeeper:

thisnameisvalid:

Anyone know any methods for removing the AR coating on the lens?

What worked for me was to put a “Sunshine polishing cloth” on a flat surface, then rub the lens on it for ~20 minutes. This reduced lumens by about 3% to 4%, and improved the tint. Basically, doing this removes the plus-green filter built into the lens. It’s a very slight effect though, barely perceptible.

To protect the table, I put the polishing cloth on top of the plastic bag it came in.

I’m more interested in how you polish sunshine. Any guidance?

Go visit Poland and you’ll bask in the Polish sunshine, when the clouds clear.

Agro · 2019-05-26T21:46:09.000Z

xevious:

Marc E:

ToyKeeper:

thisnameisvalid:

Anyone know any methods for removing the AR coating on the lens?

What worked for me was to put a “Sunshine polishing cloth” on a flat surface, then rub the lens on it for ~20 minutes. This reduced lumens by about 3% to 4%, and improved the tint. Basically, doing this removes the plus-green filter built into the lens. It’s a very slight effect though, barely perceptible.

To protect the table, I put the polishing cloth on top of the plastic bag it came in.

I’m more interested in how you polish sunshine. Any guidance?

Go visit Poland and you’ll bask in the Polish sunshine, when the clouds clear.

Today was a good day to try it.

djozz · 2019-05-26T22:05:51.000Z

I changed the stock AR-coated lens for a sapphire lens.

I used this seller: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Wholesale-2pcs-lot-Sapphire-Watch-Glass-1-5mm-thick-23mm-27-5mm-Round-Flat-Sapphire-Watch/32857994687.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.658e4c4dDaUADT
The weird thing is they only sell them in pairs that are half a mm different in size. I tried to ask for both 23mm in a message to the seller, but got the different sizes anyway

The price and pictures make me think that it is legit sapphire though, and they do not fail the droplet test: (left and middle “sapphire”, right plain uncoated glass)

I compared the hotspot (350mA through the led) of my FW3A before and after lens swap. Mind that my FW3A has FA3 tint bin 95CRI SST-20 leds (that TA had sent me a few samples of ) that are 97CRI and have great tint already before the lens swap. Left with stock lens, right with sapphire lens.

So the uncoated sapphire lens made the light a tiny bit warmer and a tiny bit closer to the BBL, or more correct: the stock AR-coated lens cools the light a tiny bit and moves the tint a tiny bit upwards relative to the BBL. I think, or like to think because I bought an expensive lens, that I see the difference

Btw, I checked the tint with no lens as well and that is almost the same (duv 0.0002 lower) as with the sapphire lens (or probably uncoated plain glass as well).

I hoped for a bigger change by getting rid of the AR-coated lens and dive a bit under the BBL with the hotspot tint, but the good thing about it is that the AR-coating of these Lumintop lenses prove pretty good in that they do not change tint much.

DrafterDan · 2019-05-26T22:07:55.000Z

I just finished up this tritium tailcap today. My first attempt was the single slot that I ended up putting a fiber optic into. I like how this one turned out. Does anybody know who came up with the Predator tritium pattern? This was my first attempt at doing it.
I kept the tail-standing ability, felt that was important.

CRX · 2019-05-26T22:23:22.000Z

Very nice. Really should have gone with red though

DrafterDan · 2019-05-26T22:35:26.000Z

Thanks CRX, but blue is my favourite color

This is something else I’m working on

ToyKeeper · 2019-05-26T22:36:29.000Z

djozz:

the stock AR-coated lens cools the light a tiny bit and moves the tint a tiny bit upwards relative to the BBL. I think, or like to think because I bought an expensive lens, that I see the difference :innocent:

That’s pretty close to Bob_McBob’s results. The stock lens appears to make the tint about 30 to 70 Kelvin more blue and about 1.0 to 1.4 mduv more green.

Sapphire sounds nice, but I’m happy with just a plain uncoated piece of cheap glass.

CRX · 2019-05-26T22:38:08.000Z

That’s ok then
Lots of experimentation going on here, cool

BurningPlayd0h · 2019-05-26T23:30:10.000Z

djozz:

I changed the stock AR-coated lens for a sapphire lens.

I used this seller: 9.52€ 5% OFF|Großhandel 2 teile/los Sapphire Uhr Glas 1,5mm dicke 23mm 27,5mm Runde Flache Sapphire Uhr Glas|watch glass|sapphire watch glassglass watch - AliExpress
The weird thing is they only sell them in pairs that are half a mm different in size. I tried to ask for both 23mm in a message to the seller, but got the different sizes anyway

The price and pictures make me think that it is legit sapphire though, and they do not fail the droplet test: (left and middle “sapphire”, right plain uncoated glass)

I compared the hotspot (350mA through the led) of my FW3A before and after lens swap. Mind that my FW3A has FA3 tint bin 95CRI SST-20 leds (that TA had sent me a few samples of ) that are 97CRI and have great tint already before the lens swap. Left with stock lens, right with sapphire lens.

So the uncoated sapphire lens made the light a tiny bit warmer and a tiny bit closer to the BBL, or more correct: the stock AR-coated lens cools the light a tiny bit and moves the tint a tiny bit upwards relative to the BBL. I think, or like to think because I bought an expensive lens, that I see the difference :innocent:

Btw, I checked the tint with no lens as well and that is almost the same (duv 0.0002 lower) as with the sapphire lens (or probably uncoated plain glass as well).

I hoped for a bigger change by getting rid of the AR-coated lens and dive a bit under the BBL with the hotspot tint, but the good thing about it is that the AR-coating of these Lumintop lenses prove pretty good in that they do not change tint much.

Just for the sake of putting it out there, be aware that while sapphire is very scratch-resistant it is less shatter resistant than some other types of glass and crystal so treat your newly crystal-blinged FW3A with care.

LightUpTheDark · 2019-05-27T00:40:13.000Z

No fancy mods or beam shots here.

I replaced the stock frosted optics with the clear triple optic from my malfunctioned Wuben TO46R. It was purely random as I was just comparing the TO10R’s tint with my FW3A 3D’s tint. The Wuben’s (both 10R and 46R) neutral white is still slightly colder (with greenish tint) than the FW3A’s XPL HI’s 3D.
My Wuben TO46R had a easily removable tailcap for battery swap but its head is glued shut. The Wuben TO10R was the opposite with the head loose and the tailcap glued shut. Simple twist of the stainless steel retaining ring of the 46R’s head and out came the lens (AR coated) and the clear optic. I placed both lens and optics face to face with the FW3A’s and wholla… exactly the same diameter. The optics were exactly the same height for both and the lens appears to be the same thickness too. Sorry no actual caliper measurements (I’ll do that eventually later)….

Proceeded with the optics only swap so now I my FW3A XP-L HI 3D has a clear optic for what should be slightly more throw but slightly more artifacts (only on white wall). That’s all folks.

I kept my second FW3A with the 7A WW as is. No mods on that one.

xevious · 2019-05-27T02:51:13.000Z

Agro:

Today was a good day to try it.

DrafterDan:

I just finished up this tritium tailcap today. My first attempt was the single slot that I ended up putting a fiber optic into. I like how this one turned out. Does anybody know who came up with the Predator tritium pattern? This was my first attempt at doing it.
I kept the tail-standing ability, felt that was important.

Wow, nice work Dan! :+1: So the steel is thick enough to run a 2mm groove without busting through to the other side?

CRX · 2019-05-27T04:16:05.000Z

Not in the original tailcap, that only has around 0.5mm thickness, looks like Dan made some new ones from 3-4mm solid bar.

Firelight2 · 2019-05-27T04:19:04.000Z

Where’s the group buy for Drafter Dan’s custom tailcaps? Those look great!

xevious · 2019-05-27T04:24:04.000Z

CRX:

Not in the original tailcap, that only has around 0.5mm thickness, looks like Dan made some new ones from 3-4mm solid bar.

Ah, yes — makes sense. That’s great he has the CNC lathe to do it.

Firelight2:

Where’s the group buy for Drafter Dan’s custom tailcaps? Those look great!

I’d be on board for that! I just don’t feel good about putting trits in the optics… all that heat…

CRX · 2019-05-27T04:47:38.000Z

Trits can take a lot of heat, don’t worry about that.
I often burn trits out of UV glue with a jet flame lighter.
That my shorten their lifespan slightly but I haven’t noticed any ill effects.
Every vial in the Mokume Lan was blowtorched out of something else

TheOnlyDocc · 2019-05-27T11:29:10.000Z

One question. A single sided Convex lens like this one would make the light more floody right?
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32862590079.html?storeId=1157289&spm=2114.12010612.8148356.8.66b74934VUUFRS

djozz · 2019-05-27T12:02:37.000Z

TheOnlyDocc:

One question. A single sided Convex lens like this one would make the light more floody right?
15.73€ 30% OFF|Freies Verschiffen 1pc 1,5mm Dicke Konvexen Sapphire Wählen Größe von 20mm bis 29,5mm Größe|Reparatur-Werkzeuge & Kits| - AliExpress

I wonder if it is an actual lens (as in: magnifying), or convex shaped sapphire with the same thickness over the entire surface (these are meant for watches).
In the latter case it does nothing with the beam.

KawiBoy1428 · 2019-05-27T17:22:07.000Z

Useless clip hole…this one?

Messing around….short tube?

Nooo too short….